Amador County – Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson said Thursday his police department may not be perfect but they own up to their mistakes, and he thinks the department’s main critic already knows that. Ione-area resident Jim Scully led a petition drive to place the fate of the Ione Police Department to a vote, and also made public comments about cases for which he has filed complaints with the department, and reported by various media, including TSPN TV news. “In response to the burglary case that he’s talking about,” Johnson said, neither the city nor the police department brought up the 2003 case. He said “Channel 13 was the last media story that asked about it,” but the victim and “family wished for that to be done and not brought up again,” and the IPD is heeding that wish. The case went to the district attorney and was not prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, Johnson said, adding that Scully “saying that we brought that up is simply not true, at least the police department did not.” He said he did not know who brought it up again, but the topic of the 2003 case arose again during the TV station’s news story, and “it did not come from the police department.” Johnson said Scully filed a complaint about the handling of a vehicle accident, which Scully refers to in other comments. Johnson said IPD launched an internal affairs investigation and the issue was addressed, but he was not at liberty to say what actions were taken, due to employment confidentiality law. Johnson said a disposition was sent to Scully and “he knows it was addressed.” The chief since 2008, Johnson said he and his department “by no means claim to be perfect, and like anybody, we make mistakes. When our mistakes are brought to our attention, we do everything in our power to make it right.” He said they also “train and brief (personnel) so that it doesn’t happen again.” Johnson said the “bottom-line mission for this department is to act in the best interest of the community, and serve the community,” and do so in a transparent manner. He said “that transparency is sometimes inhibited by California state law and federal law on what we can and can’t disclose in certain matters.” He said he wants the public to be aware of “what we are doing and what our goals and directives are.” He said: “It’s never been our intent to engage in pubic media debate on the issue with him. I know he has his reasons for pursuing what he is pursuing.” Johnson said IPD’s goal is “doing the job and doing it well.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 03 September 2010 06:19
IPD Chief defends department, says problems have been handled
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – Ione Police Chief Michael L. Johnson said Thursday his police department may not be perfect but they own up to their mistakes, and he thinks the department’s main critic already knows that. Ione-area resident Jim Scully led a petition drive to place the fate of the Ione Police Department to a vote, and also made public comments about cases for which he has filed complaints with the department, and reported by various media, including TSPN TV news. “In response to the burglary case that he’s talking about,” Johnson said, neither the city nor the police department brought up the 2003 case. He said “Channel 13 was the last media story that asked about it,” but the victim and “family wished for that to be done and not brought up again,” and the IPD is heeding that wish. The case went to the district attorney and was not prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, Johnson said, adding that Scully “saying that we brought that up is simply not true, at least the police department did not.” He said he did not know who brought it up again, but the topic of the 2003 case arose again during the TV station’s news story, and “it did not come from the police department.” Johnson said Scully filed a complaint about the handling of a vehicle accident, which Scully refers to in other comments. Johnson said IPD launched an internal affairs investigation and the issue was addressed, but he was not at liberty to say what actions were taken, due to employment confidentiality law. Johnson said a disposition was sent to Scully and “he knows it was addressed.” The chief since 2008, Johnson said he and his department “by no means claim to be perfect, and like anybody, we make mistakes. When our mistakes are brought to our attention, we do everything in our power to make it right.” He said they also “train and brief (personnel) so that it doesn’t happen again.” Johnson said the “bottom-line mission for this department is to act in the best interest of the community, and serve the community,” and do so in a transparent manner. He said “that transparency is sometimes inhibited by California state law and federal law on what we can and can’t disclose in certain matters.” He said he wants the public to be aware of “what we are doing and what our goals and directives are.” He said: “It’s never been our intent to engage in pubic media debate on the issue with him. I know he has his reasons for pursuing what he is pursuing.” Johnson said IPD’s goal is “doing the job and doing it well.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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